A New York Police Department deputy inspector and friend of a prominent businessman who is the target of a federal corruption probe committed suicide at a golf course Friday.

DNAInfo New York reports Inspector Michael Ameri was found in a police vehicle shortly before 1 p.m. with a gunshot wound to the head. The shot was believed to have been fired from his service revolver.

Ameri had been questioned for giving police escorts to Jeremy Reichberg, one of two Orthodox Jewish businessmen from Brooklyn currently under investigation for obtaining police favors.

Reichberg and Jona S. Rechnitz, both major donors of New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio who served on his inauguration committee, are the subjects of a federal probe that began in 2013 and focuses on De Blasio's fundraising activities and the conduct of high-ranking police officials.

The New York Times reported last month that Reichberg and Rechnitz "appeared to take great pride in the closeness with which they spoke to senior [police] commanders, including Philip Banks III, formerly the third-highest-ranking chief, who has come under scrutiny as part of the inquiry."

"I know of no favorable municipal action that they got," the Times reports De Blasio saying about the two businessmen when questioned by reporters. Asked how they got on his inauguration committee, he said, "I don't know the specific process of how each name was determined.

"I don't know the exact ticktock of that."

Four police officials have been censured at this point in the investigation, the Times reports.

Ameri headed the police force's Highway Division and was in charge of Pope Francis's motorcade during his 2015 visit to the city, DNAInfo New York reports.

The website reports sources say Ameri had visited Reichberg's house.

The New York Post reports the joint FBI/NYPD probe is investigating claims that Reichberg and Rechnitz gave cash and gifts to police officials to obtain special favors such as free police security at events and rides to and from the airport.